Lock bar type edge fastener for flexible covers

ABSTRACT

A fastener for flexible covers utilizing a channel for receiving a locking member and for holding the cover securely when the flexible cover is under tension.

United States Patent 1191 Bloomfield I I 45 A 23, 1974 [54] LOCK BARTYPE EDGE FASTENER FOR 3,064,724 11/1962 Nowell 160/387 x FLEXIBLECOVERS 2,823,721 2/1958 Svec et al 24/201 C UX 3,181,598 5/1965Schneider 160/403 [75] Inventor: Roge oo Jackson, y 3,489,085 1/1970Kirkpatrick 160/395 x 2,164,414 7/1939 Long 24/243 K UX [73] Asslgnee-Werner Jackson 3,273,497 9/1966 Rosema et a1. 160/395 x [22} Filed: May3, 1972 [21] App]. No.: 249,966 Primary Examiner-Mervin Stein AssistantExaminerPhi1ip C. Kannan 7 A F. J h & 52 US. Cl. 160/392, 24/243 K,160/395 Ammey 51 Int. Cl A47h 13/00 m n [58] Field of Search 160/392,393, 394, 395, 160/396, 397, 387, 400, 403, 371, 354; 24/201 c, 243 K,243 M, 243 N, 245 FF, 245 7 ABSTRACT- 245 R A fastener for flexiblecovers utilizing a channel for [56] References Cited receiving a lockingmember and for holdingthe cover UNITED STATES PATENTS securely when theflexible cover is under tension.

3,225,407 12/1965 Daniels 160/392 X 10 Claims, 7 Drawing FiguresBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The presentinvention relates to edge fasteners for flexible covers.

2. Prior Art Various types of edge fasteners have been advanced forholding flexible members or covers to position with respect to othercovers. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,489,085 issued Jan. 13, 1970 to A.C. Kirkpatrick shows a device for holding the edge of a printing blanketin place and which utilizes a generally channel shaped securing memberwith a mating insert member on the blanket. This fastening device isconfigured so that the blanket mating member would be extremelydifficult to remove if the printing blanket was under tension.

Other edge fastener devices, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No.2,597,401 issued May 20, 1952 to W. R. Swanson utilize a flat strip in agroove of a holding member. This type of device is not readily adaptedfor low cost, easy manufacture of the rigid channel or other holdingstructure.

Another locking device using a flat strip edge fastener is shown in U.S.Pat. No. 3,524,491 issued Aug. 18, 1970 to C. G. Olson, but thisrequires sliding the locking structure onto the flexible member from oneedge. It is therefore unusable for fastening large cover panels or thelike onto a swimming pool or machinery or for other large equipmentcovers.

Another locking member for attaching panels is shown in U.S. Pat. No.2,901,788 issued Sept. 1, 1 959 to H. K. Fitting, and U.S. Pat. No.3,225,407 issued Dec. 28, 1965 to H. B. Daniels shows a clip for holdingflexible sheets of material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION" The present invention relates to an easilymanufactured fastener for fastening flexible sheets or panels in 7 placeonto a structure utilizing a rigid or -semirigid channel that is fixedonto the structure. The flexible member has a flat, relatively stiffstrip around its mar ginal edges where the fastening is'to take place.The strip and the fabric attached thereto fit into the channel member,and lock inv place. The channel has opposite upstanding walls providedwith concave surfaces which provide the locking action so thattheflexible sheet is held in place until an outer edge of the lock stripis released. from. the concave surface which forms a detent for thestrip.

The strip is attached to the flexible cover or sheet material along oneedge of the strip so that when the flexible sheet is under tension theloadcauses the strip to be held securely against one concave wall but atthe same timepermits relatively easy release of the outer opposite edgeof the strip from its detented position, which permits release of theentire cover or flexible member being held.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of acover assembly using an. edge fastener made according to the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the edge fastener assembly of FIG. 1 inlocked position;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of th edge fastener of FIG. 2 showing thefastener partially out of a lock channel;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a modified. form of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a further modified form of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a modified fastener having a pull tabthereon; and

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of a lock strip which is formed to beflexible for ease of rolling of the flexible cover.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT As shown, the edge fastenerassembly is used for attaching a flexible sheet or cover 10 onto anobject or structure 11 that is to be covered, through the use of a lockchannel mamber 12. The lock channel 12 can be rigid or semirigid, andmay be attached permanently to the member 11 or can be removable, ifdesired. For example, the structure 11 could be a boat which needed acover over the top,a swimming pool, a truck box, or anything else thatmight need some type of a temporary, semipermanent, or even a permanentcover that was weatherproof but which is removed from time to time.

The flexible cover 10 has a hem or edge portion 13 that contains arelatively flat locking bar 14 that is sewn into place in the hem. Thehem is stitched as at 15 at the inner edge of the lock bar to hold thebar 14 in place and to provide a coupling through which tension loadsfrom the cover are transferred to the lock bar 14. The bar 14 can be ofplastic material of the desired transverse stiffness but may be flexiblein longitudinal length as will be explained.

The lock channel as shown has a base member 16, a first load wall 17that has a part cylindrical concave inner lock surface 18 and a tangentsurface 18A joined thereto. The lock wall has a lip 19 that has arounded end. An opposite side wall 22 of the channel 12 has a partcylindrical concave detent surface 23 that is positioned to the outsideof the lock bar 14. This concave The opening in the channel is narrowerthan the width of lock bar 14. The bar 14 is fastened into place in thehem, portion to keep the bar from slipping so that the stitching 15 doesnot turn with respect to the bar or strip 14, but rather staysalon'g onemarginal edge. The pull from the cover or sheet 10 isthen at one edge ofthe lock bar. v

'When the lock bar is in the lock channel, and the cover 10 is undertension, the curved end surface of lip 19 forms a radius reasonablywhich the flexible sheet or cover 10 will slide. This forces theopposite or outer edge ofthe bar 14 against the detent'surface 23 as theedge by stitching l5 slides up along surface 18. The bar 14 adjacent thestitching 15 is pulled upwardly toward the lip 19 andthe resultantforcing of the outer edge of bar 14 against the detent surface 23 causesa tight lock so that the flexible cover 10 cannot be pulled out of thechannel under tension from the cover. The contact of the cover againstthe roundedend 19*forms a resonably good weather seal without specialprovisions.

Removal of the lock bar is extremely simple and easy. The outer edge oflock bar 14 engaging the detent surface 23 is lifted upwardly by fingerpressure right at the edge or by a sewn in pull tab. The bar 14 willthen flip out releasing the flexible cover 10. The concave detentsurface 23 is not deeply concave, as shown by arrows 25, so that thisminimizes the amount of force necessary to release the lock bar. Whilethe ability of the fabric to slide around the lip 19, when it is undertension thereby lifting the inner edge of the bar 14 adjacent stitching15 insures that the lock bar will be tightly locked in the channel, butwill also be releasable relatively easy. The surface 18, as shown, ispart cylindrical, and then has a tangent straight surface portion 18A upto the lip 19. The part cylindrical surface 18 is less than 180, from ageneral reference plane along the base 16 of the locking channel.

The wall 22 has other outwardly inclined surface 22A at its upper edge,which as shown in FIG. 3, provides a ramp that the outer edge of thecover and lock bar engage when the edge fastener is being assembled. Theramp surface helps in assembly because downward pressure on the outeredge of the bar 14. forces the outer edge under surface 18A as the outeredge moves along the ramp surface.

In FIG. 4 a modified form of locking device is shown using the same formof locking channel 12, wherein a flexible cover 35 is slipped in betweenan upper leg 36 and a lower leg 37 ofa single piece of folded overplastic material that is relatively rigidq forming a lock bar. Then theedge of the cover 35 is sewn into place between these upper and lowerlegs 36 and 37, so that the unit is held in position; When the tensionis applied to the flexible cover 35, it will lift the inner edge of thelock bar and force the opposite folded edge of the U- shaped lock baragainst the detent surface 23 to thereby hold the lock bar in thechannel and fasten the flexible cover securely. A small tab such as thatshown at 38 can be molded integrally with the plastic U shaped lock bar,in order to make the bar more easily removable from the channel.

Referring to FIG. 5, the lock channel 12 is shown with a different typeof lock bar arrangement. In this instance, the flexible cover 30 is laidacross the channel and a flat, loose lock bar 31 is pressed over thecover into the channel. The bar and cover are locked into position inthe channel. The tension on the flexible member 30 causes the cover orfabric to slide over the outer surfaces ofthe lip 19 and lift the inneredge of bar 31 (toward the main part of thecover), and force the outeredge of the strip 31 toward the opposite detent surface 23 of the lockchannel. The cover is pinched between the surface 23.and the lock barand held in place.

The arrangement shown in FIG. also is adaptable for ue with a lock barthat is fastened to the top surface of a flexible cover. The cover couldterminate along the outer edge of the lock bar or have a small flap fora pull tab (where it engages surface 23) and which is stitched, glued orotherwise fastened to the lock.

FIG. 6 shows a modified construction of the edge locking assembly usingthe lock channel 12 with a flexible cover 60 that has a lock bar 62sewed in the hem portion thereof. In this instance an edge tab 61 isalso formed to the outside of the outer edge of lock bar 62. The tab 61projects above the wall 22 and makes it easier to remove the edge oflock bar 62 from the concave detent surface 23.

The tab 61 could extend for the entire length of the peripheral edge ofthe cover member, or could be kept relatively short. A number of shorttabs could be positioned at intervals around the cover.

FIG. 7 is a typical showing of a lock bar 46 in plan view, modified byincluding a series of notches or recesses 45 extending into the bar fromopposite side edges of the bar 46. When the bar 46 is attached to anedge of a flexible cover or sheet as shown in the previous figures, itmakes the cover easy to roll in its longitudinal direction of the bar sothat the cover can be folded or rolled. The partial transverse slots donot adversely affect the holding ability of the lock bar.

The lock bars and channels can be provided to extend continuously on allperipheral edges of the covers or can be formed in sections spaced asdesired along the edges of the cover. The lock channel can be integrallyformed into a structure if desired. The detent for the outer edge of thelock bar can also be short in longi tudinal length and still operate.

The movement of the flexible cover around wall 17 results in a force onthe bar in direction toward the detent surface 23 almost equal to thetension force in the flexible cover. The wall 17 provides a fulcrum formovement of the flexible cover and the end 19 acts as a snubber surfaceto hold the cover securely.

The ability of the cover to transfer detent force to the outer edge ofthe lock bar by sliding along the snubber surface provides a highholding capability. The lifting of the inner edge against surface 18 and18A when the outer edge of the lock bar contacts surface 23 forms atight lock even under reverse tension.

As shown the lock assembly retains thecover in place I throughout a wideangle of load direction, even straight up and reverse pulls if the lockbar is transversely stiff enough to support the reverse load withoutcollapsing.

What is claimed is:

1. A locking assembly for locking a flexible cover in place on astructure comprising a first channel shaped member mounted on thestructure and having a base, and first and second spaced apart generallycoextensive upright walls disposed on opposite edges of said base, saidfirst upright wall having a first concave surface facing said secondwall, and said first upright wall having a rounded upper edge surfaceextending along the length thereof, said second wall having an upperedge portion defining an opening in cooperation with said rounded edge,a cover sheet of flexible material, a generally flat lock bar havingfirst and second edges and being of thickness to fit within said concavesurface and having a width between said first and second edges greaterthan the width of said opening but less than the maximum dimensionbetween the upper edge portion of said second wall and the concavesurface, said sheet of flexible material extending in direction awayfrom said second wall and being forced toward the concave surface ofsaid first wall and into engagement with the rounded edge surface bymovement of said first edge of said lock bar toward the concave surface,whereby the second edge of said lock bar clears the upper portions ofsaid second wall and is movable downwardly toward said base, said secondwall having a second concave detent surface facing said first wall, saiddetent surface being shallow in relation to the first concave surface,

said rounded edge surface forming a sliding surface whereby tension insaid sheet under load in a direction away from said second wall andtoward said first wall causes said sheet to slide around said roundededge surface and force said second edge of said lock bar into saidseconddetent surface to prevent said second edge of said lock bar fromlifting above the upper edge portion of said second wall, said seconddetent surface being sufficiently shallow to permit the second edge ofsaid lock bar to be manually lifted above the second wall withoutcausing substantial sliding movement of said sheet around said roundededge.

2 The combination specified in claim 1 wherein said lock bar is fixed tosaid cover sheet adjacent the peripheral edge of said cover sheet.

3. The combination specified in claim 2 wherein said lock bar comprisesa generally flat bar substantially wider than its thickness, and saidmeans to fix said lock bar to said cover sheet comprise a hem portion ofsaid sheet folded over to form a pocket, said lock bar being positionedinside said pocket and fixed there with respect to said cover sheet.

4. The combination specified in claim 3 wherein said cover sheet isattached to pull on said lock bar adjacent the first edge of said lockbar.

5. The combination specified in claim 6 and tab means on said lock barto lift one edge portion of said lock bar to clear'said detent means.

6. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said lock barcomprises a generally flat bar having side edges extending along thelength thereof, and means defined in said bar reducing the resistance torolling said bar into a roll in direction along the length thereof.

7. The combination as specified in claim'6 wherein said means defined insaid bar to reduce resistance to rolling comprises a plurality ofrecesses defined in said bar extending transversely to said bar andspaced from each other along the length of said lock bar.

8. The combination specified in claim 1 wherein said lock bar comprisesa pair of legs defining a U shaped lock bar, and said cover sheet offlexible material is positioned between the legs of said U shaped lockbar.

9. in combination a flexible cover sheet having a gen erally flat,elongated locking bar member attached thereto and carried thereby, and alock channel for said locking bar member, said lock, channel comprisinga pair of upstanding walls having upper edges, a base supporting saidupstanding walls, said. walls including facing concave surfaces, a firstconcave surface on a first wall being substantially more concave than asecond concave surface on a second opposite wall, said second concavesurface having a concave distance with respect to a plane normal to thebase of the channel and passing along an upper edge of said secondconcave surface less than the height of the upper edge of the secondconcave surface above the base, the upper edge of said first wall beingrounded, said flexible cover sheet extending in direction away from saidsecond wall toward the first wall and thence around the rounded edge,said first and second walls defining an opening of width less than thewidth of said locking bar, and said first concave surface on the firstof said walls beingsufficiently deep to permit said locking bar to moveintothe recess defined by said first concave surface and clear thesecond opposite wall to move to position between the walls, said roundededge permitting said sheet to slide under tension exerted in a directionaway from said second wall and around said rounded edge to urge saidlock bar toward the second concave surface with a force which is afunction of the tension in the sheet.

10. The combination specified in claim 9 wherein said second oppositewall includes a surface facing upwardly positioned above the secondconcave surface, and inclined toward the base of said channel member andinwardly toward the opening to provide a ramp surface for forcing thefirst edge of saidlock bar toward said concave surface by downwardpressure on the lock bar when assembling the bar into said channel.

Clflli'll FICATIL 01* (IORRILC .l ION Patent No. 3 ,805 ,873 Dated April23J 1974 Inventor(s) Roger D, Bloomfield It is certified that errorappears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent arehereby corrected as shown below:

rm Column 2, line 3 "th" should be--the--; Column 2, line 67 "resonably"should be-- reasonably-- Column 3, line 31 "rigidq" should be--rigid,--.Column 4, line 24 before "bar" insert- -lock Column 5, line 26 'claim 6"should be--claim l- Column 6, line 4 after "combination" insert--a commaSigned and sealed this 17th day of September 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY b. GIBSON JR. C. MARSHALL DANN v V Attesting Officer Commissionerof Patents

1. A locking assembly for locking a flexible cover in place on astructure comprising a first channel shaped member mounted on thestructure and having a base, and first and second spaced apart generallycoextensive upright walls disposed on opposite edges of said base, saidfirst upright wall having a first concave surface facing said secondwall, and said first upright wall having a rounded upper edge surfaceextending along the length thereof, said second wall having an upperedge portion defining an opening in cooperation with said rounded edge,a cover sheet of flexible material, a generally flat lock bar havingfirst and second edges and being of thickness to fit within said concavesurface and having a width between said first and second edges greaterthan the width of said opening but less than the maximum dimensionbetween the upper edge portion of said second wall and the concavesurface, said sheet of flexible material extending in direction awayfrom said second wall and being forced toward the concave surface ofsaid first wall and into engagement with the rounded edge surface bymovement of said first edge of said lock bar toward the concave surface,whereby the second edge of said lock bar clears the upper portions ofsaid second wall and is movable downwardly toward said base, said secondwall having a second concave detent surface facing said first wall, saiddetent surface being shallow in relation to the first concave surface,said rounded edge surface forming a sliding surface whereby tension insaid sheet under load in a direction away from said second wall andtoward said first wall causes said sheet to slide around said roundededge surface and force said second edge of said lock bar into saidsecond detent surface to prevent said second edge of said lock bar fromlifting above the upper edge portion of said second wall, said seconddetent surface being sufficiently shallow to permit the second edge ofsaid lock bar to be manually lifted above the second wall withoutcausing substantial sliding movement of said sheet around said roundededge.
 2. The combination specified in claim 1 wherein said lock bar isfixed to said cover sheet adjacent the peripheral edge of said coversheet.
 3. The combination specified in claim 2 wherein said lock barcomprises a generally flat bar substantially wider than its thickness,and said means to fix said lock bar to said cover sheet comprise a hemportion of said sheet folded over to form a pocket, said lock bar beingpositioned inside said pocket and fixed there with respect to said coversheet.
 4. The combination specified in claim 3 wherein said cover sheetis attached to pull on said lock bar adjacent the first edge of saidlock bar.
 5. The combination specified in claim 6 and tab means on saidlock bar to lift one edge portion of said lock bar to clear said detentmeans.
 6. The combination as specified in claim 1 wherein said lock barcomprises a generally flat bar having side edges extending along thelength thereof, and means defined in said bar reducing the resistance torolling said bar into a roll in direction along the length thereof. 7.The combination as specified in claim 6 wherein said means defined insaid bar to reduce resistance to rolling comprises a plurality ofrecesses defined in said bar extending transversely to said bar andspaced from each other along the length of said lock bar.
 8. Thecombination specified in claim 1 wherein said lock bar comprises a pairof legs defining a U shaped lock bar, and said cover sheet of flexiblematerial is positioned between the legs of said U shaped lock bar.
 9. Incombination a flexible cover sheet having a generally flat, elongatedlocking bar member attached thereto and carried thereby, and a lockchannel for said locking bar member, said lock channel comprising a pairof upstanding walls having upper edges, a base supporting saidupstanding walls, said walls including facing concave surfaces, a firstconcave surface on a first wall being substantially more concave than asecond concave surface on a second opposite wall, said second concavesurface having a concave distance with respect to a plane normal to thebase of the channel and passing along an upper edge of said secondconcave surface less than the height of the upper edge of the secondconcave surface above the base, the upper edge of said first wall beingrounded, said flexible cover sheet extending in direction away from saidsecond wall toward the first wall and thence around the rounded edge,said first and second walls defining an opening of width less than thewidth of said locking bar, and said first concave surface on the firstof said walls being sufficiently deep to permit said locking bar to moveinto the recess defined by said first concave surface and clear thesecond opposite wall to move to position between the walls, said roundededge permitting said sheet to slide under tension exerted in a directionaway from said second wall and around said rounded edge to urge saidlock bar toward the second concave surface with a force which is afunction of the tension in the sheet.
 10. The combination specified inclaim 9 wherein said second opposite wall includes a surface facingupwardly positioned above the second concave surface, and inclinedtoward the base of said channel member and inwardly toward the openingto provide a ramp surface for forcing the first edge of said lock bartoward said concave surface by downward pressure on the lock bar whenassembling the bar into said channel.